ESE 2020 - Standards and Quality Practices

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ESE-2020
Prelims Paper-I
Standards
and
Quality Practices
IN PRODUCTION, CONSTRUCTION,
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES

First Ediction : 2016
Second Edition : 2017
Third Edition : 2018
Fourth Edition : 2019
Typeset at : IES Master Publication, New Delhi-110016
IES MASTER PUBLICATION
F-126, (Lower Basement), Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016
Phone : 011-26522064, Mobile : 8130909220, 9711853908
E-mail : info.publications@iesmaster.org
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Copyright © 2019, by IES MASTER Publication. No part of this booklet may be
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PREFACE
In today’s time, minimum assured quality of products and services has become bare essential for private
as well as government sectors. It is for this reason that students aspiring for Engineering Services Examination
(ESE) should have a well-structured view of the standards and quality practices in production, construction,
maintenance and services.
This book helps students build upon concepts from the scratch to the advanced level. From evolution of
concept of quality to various thinkers and approaches, to statistical tools and accepted sampling parameters
as well as six sigma standards have been discussed thoroughly. It further delves into inventory management,
and touches upon various aspects of manufacturing vis-à-vis quality, maintenance and reliability.
Being an engineer is about quality assurance in whatever products and services one designs and delivers,
as per established standards. Therefore, it is given foremost importance by the UPSC.
This revised and updated edition builds on all the important variables that have been cited in previous
versions of Engineering Services Examination.
As one go through various topics, concepts, and illustrations, an augmented sketch of all the important
issues touching standards and quality is drawn. This makes sure that whatever spin is given to the
questions, one can deduce the correct answer.
Any constructive ideas, suggestions, feedbacks for improving the content of future editions will be highly
appreciated.
IES Master Publication
New Delhi

Section Description Page No.
Preface (iii)
Chapter 1 BASIC CONCEPTS OF QUALITY .......................................................................... 1 – 21
1.1 Key Concepts Related to Quality............................................................................................. 1
1.2 Types of Quality .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Cost of Quality ............................................................................................................................ 5
1.4 Value of Quality ........................................................................................................................... 7
1.5 Evolution of Concept of Quality ............................................................................................... 8
1.6 Quality Policy ............................................................................................................................... 9
1.7 Quality Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 10
1.8 Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) ............................................................. 10
1.9 Quality Audit .............................................................................................................................. 11
1.10 Quality Management ................................................................................................................ 12
1.11 Quality Improvement ................................................................................................................ 13
1.12 Quality and Productivity .......................................................................................................... 13
Chapter 2 QUALITY THINKERS AND APPROACHES ........................................................... 22 – 43
2.1 Kaizen ......................................................................................................................................... 22
2.2 Benchmarking ........................................................................................................................... 22
2.3 Poka – Yoke .............................................................................................................................. 23
2.4 Ishikawa ..................................................................................................................................... 23
2.5 Taguchi........................................................................................................................................ 24
2.6 Armand V. Feigenbaum ........................................................................................................... 25
2.7 Philip B. Crosby......................................................................................................................... 26
2.8 Deming ........................................................................................................................................ 26
2.9 Joseph Juran ............................................................................................................................ 28
2.10 TQM (Total Quality Management) .......................................................................................... 28
2.11 Quality Function Deployment .................................................................................................. 31
2.12 Kano Model ................................................................................................................................ 32
2.13 Quality Awards .......................................................................................................................... 34
2.14 Value Engineering ..................................................................................................................... 35
2.15 Standards ................................................................................................................................... 35
2.16 ISO ............................................................................................................................................... 36
2.17 Other Popular Standards ........................................................................................................ 37
CONTENTS

(vi) Contents
Chapter 3 STATISTICAL TOOLS AND CONTROL CHARTS ................................................. 44 – 57
3.1 Statistical Tools......................................................................................................................... 44
3.2 Errors in Making Conclusions on the Basis of Control Chart ........................................ 48
Chapter 4 ACCEPTANCE SAMPLING .................................................................................... 58 – 66
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 58
4.2 Types of Acceptance Sampling ............................................................................................. 59
4.3 Terms Associated with Sampling Inspection ..................................................................... 62
Chapter 5 SIX SIGMA ........................................................................................................... 67 – 73
5.1 Statistical Concepts Related to Six Sigma ......................................................................... 67
5.2 Limitation of Three Sigma Quality ........................................................................................ 69
5.3 Process Capability.................................................................................................................... 70
5.4 Methods used in Six Sigma ................................................................................................... 70
5.5 Implementation of Six Sigma ................................................................................................. 71
Chapter 6 INVENTORY MANAGEMENT ................................................................................. 74 – 89
6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 74
6.2 Types of Inventories .................................................................................................. 75
6.3 Classification of Inventories .................................................................................... 75
6.4 Cost associated with Inventory............................................................................... 75
6.5 Purchase Model with Instantaneous Replenishment and
with Shortages ........................................................................................................... 79
6.6 Selective Inventory Control Techniques............................................................... 80
Chapter 7 MANUFACTURING .............................................................................................. 90 – 109
7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 90
7.2 Line Balancing ........................................................................................................................... 91
7.3 Objective of Line Balancing .................................................................................................... 91
7.4 Terms Associated with Assembly Line ............................................................................... 91
7.5 Plant layout ................................................................................................................................ 92
7.6 Product Layout .......................................................................................................................... 93
7.7 Process Layout ......................................................................................................................... 93
7.8 Fixed Position Layout............................................................................................................... 94
7.9 Cellular or Group Layout ......................................................................................................... 94
7.10 Factors Affecting Plant Location ........................................................................................... 94
7.11 Production System ................................................................................................................... 95
7.12 Job Shop Production ............................................................................................................... 96
7.13 Batch Productions .................................................................................................................... 96
7.14 Mass Production ....................................................................................................................... 96
7.15 Material Requirements Planning ........................................................................................... 97
7.16 JIT (Just in Time) Production ................................................................................................ 98

Contents (vii)
7.17 Kanban System ......................................................................................................................... 99
7.18 5S for Improvement .............................................................................................................. 101
7.19 Lean Manufacturing .............................................................................................................. 102
Chapter 8 MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY ................................................................... 110 – 124
8.1 Maintenance ............................................................................................................................ 110
8.2 Reactive Maintenance ............................................................................................................ 111
8.3 Preventive Maintenance ........................................................................................................ 112
8.4 Predictive Maintenance ......................................................................................................... 113
8.5 Reliability Centered Maintenance ........................................................................................ 113
8.6 Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) .................................................................................. 114
8.7 Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) ........................................................................ 115
8.8 Reliability .................................................................................................................................. 116
8.9 Reliability Measurement ........................................................................................................ 116
8.10 Systems with Components in Series ................................................................................. 117
8.11 System with Components in Parallel ................................................................................. 117
8.12 MTTF and MTBF....................................................................................................................... 118
Chapter 9 CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICES .................................................................... 125 – 136
9.1 Quality in Construction ......................................................................................................... 125
9.2 Quality Assurance ................................................................................................................. 125
9.3 Quality Control ........................................................................................................................ 126
9.4 Elements of Quality ............................................................................................................... 126
9.5 Total Quality Management (TQM) ....................................................................................... 127
9.6 Services ................................................................................................................................... 129
9.7 Service Quality Dimensions (RATER) ................................................................................. 130
9.8 Five Gaps of Service Quality Model ................................................................................... 131

1
 Quality depends on the degree of fitness for use by the customer.
Hence, a product will have good quality if it is suitable for the purpose
for which it is meant. However, the term, fitness for purpose, is a highly
subjective term, the interpretation of which may vary from individual to
individual. The criterion of fitness for purpose is perfectly suitable at
only one stage of production of a product or service. This is the stage
of designing the product. The marketing department of the company
prepares a product definition document in which it specifies the
expectations and requirements of the customer from the product. This
document is passed on to the design department where the designs of
the product are prepared keeping in mind the fitness for purpose i.e. the
expectations of the customer. The designs so prepared are rated good
or bad according to the extent to which these are able to satisfy the
requirements mentioned in the product definition document. In all the
subsequent stages such as development, engineering, production,
distribution and after-sales service, quality is measured in terms of
conformance to specifications. During the development of the product,
various specifications are evolved. These specifications have to be
adhered to in all the stages of production in order to achieve the desired
quality of the product. Conformance to these specification can be verified
by the objective evidence in contrast to the subjective approach of the
fitness for pupose criterion.
 Quality of a product means the conformance to specification. The
customer’s needs have to be assessed and translated into specifications.
 The product or service must meet the customer’s expectations or needs.
The needs can be both stated as well as implied.
 The product or service should be cost effective or economical. Due to
increased competition, the companies have to continuously improve
their products’ function and reduce wastages to reduce cost.
 Reliability is an important indicator of quality over a period of time. It
means that the product must perform its intended function over a period
of time without failing under given operating conditions.
 The product should be serviceable. It means that the after-sales service
of the product should be quick, cheap and easily available. In the face
INSIDE
 Key Concepts Related to
Quality
 Types of Quality
 Cost of Quality
 Value of Quality
 Evolution of Concept of
Quality
 Quality Policy
 Quality Objectives
 Quality Assurance and
Quality Control
 Quality Audit
 Quality Management
 Quality Improvement
 Quality and Productivity
1.1 KEY CONCEPTS RELATED TO QUALITY

2 | STANDARDS AND QUALITY PRACTICES GS AND ENGINEERING APTITUDE
IES MASTER Publication
of intense competition today, an important
dimension of quality which was overlooked so far
by many Indian companies is customer service.
In India, the domestic industry can overcome the
threat of foreign MNCs by focussing on this aspect
of quality. Manufacturing organisations must focus
on after-sales service as an important opportunity
for making a difference in quality to gain
competitive advantage.
 The product should be durable. Durability means
the effective life of the product after which it can
no longer be used even after repair.
 The product or service should have good
perceived quality.
 The product must also have good aesthetics and
it should be safe in handling.
 Quality is a relative term. It is not absolute. It
varies with time, space and from person to person.
 Stiff competition at the national and international
level and customer’s awareness about the quality
of goods and services have made it necessary
that companies put increased emphasis in
achieving the desired customer satisfaction by
running its business at an economical level.
 Feigenbaum defines quality as : The total
composite product and service characteristics of
Engineering, Manufacturing, Marketing and
Maintenance through which the product and
service in use meet the expectations of the
customers. Efforts should be made to incorporate
the quality at the design stage and maintained in
manufacturing which the customer would like to
have and is willing to pay for it.
 The product must perform its intended function
repeatedly as called upon, over its stipulated life
cycle under normal conditions of use. It should be
easy to operate or use.
 The survival of the company depends on the
income it gets from selling its products and
services, and the ability to sell is based on fitness
for use. Hence, the company’s functions
concerned with quality or achieving fitness for use
are known as quality functions. It includes variety
of activities. Every one working in the factory or
all departments are responsible for the broad
quality function. With the aid of market survey, a
company determines what qualities are needed
by the customers.
 Research and development specialists create a
product concept which can meet these quality
needs of the users. Design engineers prepare
product and material specifications considering the
quality requirements. Process engineers specify
the processes, machines and instruments capable
of producing the products with the desired quality,
and inspecting them. Purchasing specialists buy
materials and components possessing appropriate
qualities. Operators are trained to use the process
and instruments to make the product as per the
design. Inspectors examine the product to judge
conformance with the design. Consumers use the
product and the experience of use becomes the
basis for a redesign, or improvement in the
product, which starts the cycle all over again.
 Quality is a perceptual, conditional, and somewhat
subjective attribute and may be understood
differently by different people. The perception of
quality of a product or service from the point of
view of a customer may be different from that of
the producer. The problem of the producer is
aggravated by the fact that the number of
customers may be too large and each one may
have a different perception about quality.
Consumers may focus on the specific quality of a
product/service, or how it compares to competitors
in the marketplace. Producers might measure the
conformance quality, or degree to which the
product/service was produced correctly. Support
personnel may measure quality in the degree that
a product is reliable, maintainable, or sustainable.
If a third party such as a quality certification agency
has to decide about the quality of the product or
service, its perception may be different from those
of the customer and the producer.
 In the early 1900s, pioneers such as Frederick
Taylor and Henry Ford recognized the limitations
of the methods being used in mass production at
the time and the subsequent varying quality of
output, implementing quality control, inspection,
and standardization procedures in their work. Later
in the twentieth century, the likes of Deming and
Juran helped take quality to new heights, initially
in Japan and later (in the late ’70s and early ’80s)
globally.
 Customers recognize that quality is an important
attribute in products and services, and suppliers
recognize that quality can be an important
differentiator between their own offerings and those

16 | STANDARDS AND QUALITY PRACTICES GS AND ENGINEERING APTITUDE
1. Which of the following statements correctly define
Quality?
(i) Meeting both internal and external
customer’s expectations.
(ii) Degree of excellence at an acceptable price.
(iii) Fitness for use or purpose.
(iv) Meeting product specifications.
(a) Only (i), (ii) & (iii) (b) Only (i) and (iii)
(c) Only (ii) and (iv) (d) All of above
2. Consider the following statements:
1. The terms such as delighting customers,
robustness, reducing variability can be
associated with quality.
2. The driving force to determine the level of
quality that should be designed into a
product of service is the customer.
3. Reliability does not have a time dimension.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1,2 and 3
3. Read the following statements and select the
correct option.
(i) Quality of design enables achievement of
required product features and
characteristics.
(ii) Quality of conformance enables
achievement of freedom from deficiencies.
(a) Only (ii) is true.
(b) Both (i) and ii) are false.
(c) Both (i) and (ii) are true.
(d) Only (i) is true.
1. Quality of design is influenced by many
factors, such as product type, cost, profit
policy, demand of the product, availability of
parts and materials, and product reliability.
2. Quality of conformance is basically meeting
the standards defined in the design phase
after the product is manufactured or while
the service is delivered.
3. Quality of Performance measures the degree
to which the product or service satisfies the
customer from the perspective of both quality
of design and the quality of conformance.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1,2 and 3
1. Cost of quality is a methodology that allows
an organization to determine the extent to
which its resources are used for activities
that prevent poor quality, that appraise the
quality of the organization’s products or
services, and that result from internal and
external failures.
2. Having such information allows an
organization to determine the potential
savings to be gained by implementing
process improvements.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) both 1 and 2 (d) none
6. Match the following:
List I
A.   Prevention cost
B.   Appraisal cost
C.   Internal failure cost
D.   External failure cost
List II
1. Arise from detecting defects through
inspection.
2. Arise from defects that actually reach
customers.
3. Arise from efforts to prevent defects from
occurring at all.
4. Arise from defects caught internally and dealt
with by discarding or repairing the defective
items.
Which of the following is true?
(a) A-3, B-1, C-4,D-2
(b) A-1, B-3, C-4,D-2
(c) A-3, B-1, C-2,D-4
(d) A-1, B-3, C-2,D-4
7. Which of the following costs are not included in
the cost of prevention?
Questions

BASIC CONCEPTS OF QUALITY | 17GS AND ENGINEERING APTITUDE
(a) Quality planning
(b) Training and workforce development
(c) Product design verification
(d) Test and inspection of purchased materials
8. Which of the following statements is not correct
regarding cost of quality?
(a) Out of prevention cost, appraisal cost,
internal failure cost and external failure cost,
the most expensive cost of quality is the
external failure cost.
(b) The most effective way of achieving the
highest quality at the lowest cost is by
developing robust and reliable processes
that produce quality product on a consistent
basis.
(c) Efforts should be made to reduce the internal
failure costs to zero as internal failures
produce scrap.
(d) It is not possible to reduce the activities of
inspection even by developing robust
processes.
9. Assertion : If the level of defect is high, it means
the company has invested more in prevention
and appraisal.
Reason : As the level of defect decreases, the
cost of non-conformance decreases.
10. In reference to Total quality cost (TQC) which of
the following statements are correct:
(i) TQC consist of “Cost of conformance” and
“Cost of non-conformance”
(ii) Cost of conformance implies expenses
required for producing quality product.
(iii) Cost of non-conformance is loss because
of defects in the product.
(a) Only (i) and (ii) are correct.
(b) (i), (ii) and (iii) are correct.
(c) Only (i) is correct.
(d) Only (i) and (iii) is correct.
11. Which of the following costs will be included in
cost of prevention?
(i) Cost of quality planning.
(ii) Cost of training of workers to make quality
products.
(iii) Cost of information collection and analysis
about number and types of defects.
(iv) Cost of retest after rectification of a product
(a) Only (i) (ii) and (iii)
(b) Only (i) (iii) (iv)
(c) Only (iii) and (iv)
(d) Only (ii) and (iv)
12. Any cost arising out of claim of customer
regarding a defective product within its guarantee
period should be included in
(a) Appraisal Cost
(b) Cost of internal failure
(c) Cost of external failure
(d) Prevention cost
13. What should the company focus on to achieve
quality more economically?
(a) External Failure Cost
(b) Internal Failure Cost
(c) Prevention Cost
(d) Appraisal Cost
14. Which of the following quality costs are failure
costs?
(a) Customer Survey Cost
(b) Calibration Cost
(c) Product recall cost
(d) Pre-dispatch inspection cost
15. The graph shows the results of various quality
levels for a component
C D
B
A
C D
Level of quality
Consider the following statements:
1. Curve A shows the variation of value of
components
2. Curve B shows the variation of cost of the
component
3. The preferred level of quality is given by
line CC
4. The preferred level of quality is given by
line DD
Which of these statements are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4

BASIC CONCEPTS OF QUALITY | 21GS AND ENGINEERING APTITUDE
1. (d)
2. (a)
3. (c)
4. (d)
5. (c)
6. (a)
7. (d)
8. (d)
9. (d)
10. (b)
11. (a)
12. (c)
13. (c)
14. (c)
15. (a)
16. (d)
17. (b)
18. (a)
19. (a)
20. (c)
21. (c)
22. (d)
23. (c)
24. (b)
25. (c)
26. (c)
27. (a)
28. (d)
ANSWER KEY
29. (d)
30. (b)
31. (d)
32. (d)
33. (b)
34. (a)
35. (a)
36. (a)
37. (b)
38. (d)
39. (a)
40. (a)
1. (d) All above statements are definitions of qual-
ity given by different quality gurus.
3. (c) Both statements are true as quality in de-
sign ensures that product features required
by the customer are incorporated in
product’s design and expressed as prod-
uct specifications. Quality of conformance
ensures that there is no gap between ac-
tual product features and designed speci-
fications.
10. (b) Cost of conformance is the price paid for
prevention of poor quality (to avoid failure
in product or services) and cost of non-
conformance which is the of losses incurred
due to failure of product or service because
of poor quality. Thus, TQC will depend on
EXPLANATIONS
how much an organisation is spending to
prevent poor quality and how much cost it
is incurring because of failures due to poor
quality. Mathematically,
TQC = Cost of Conformance (COC)
+ Cost of non Conformance
(CONC).
11. (a) (i) (ii) and (iii) are the components of Pre-
vention Cost while (iv) i.e. Cost of retest of
a product after its rectification shall be
added to cost of internal failures.
12. (c) Cost of failures in a product within its war-
ranty period after it has been sold to the
customer is added to cost of external fail-
ure.

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